To victim blamers, slut shamers and those who think rape jokes are funny - Kelsey Toombs

You say I’m overdressed.You say take off your jacket,I want to see you.But that’s not what you want at all,We both know that.

If I refuse, you call me a prudeand if I give in, I’m a slut.The double standards at a timelike this are running high toNo end.

Headline. Young girl,raped by neighbour. You sigh,you’re sick of hearing aboutall this negativity.

What if it were me? I ask you.You tell me that would never happento a girl like me. So tell me,What type of girl would it happen to?You say she was probably asking for it.

Yet you didn’t read that she wasFour years old and the boywas someone her parents trusted.Tell me how a four year old girl isthe type of girl that could happen to.

I don’t joke about this sort of thingbut you might think it’s funny.Teaching girls not to get rapedis about as useful as teaching aDog long division.

He thought I was overdressed.He said he wanted to see me.That wasn’t what he wanted, butYou never taught me that.I was probably asking for it.

Contributor's Note

Kelsey is about to begin her final year of a BA in English in Theatre Studies. Since high school she has been interested in various forms of writing, but found poetry to be too difficult. However, 2012 saw a newly-found love of poetry develop, which quickly became one of her favourite forms. She is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have her work published and read by a wider audience in Mayhem, and looks forward to future writing endeavours.